The Chicago Architecture Foundation Announces its Events and Tours for November, December, January 2009-2010

Monday, 26 October 2009 12:20

NEW THIS SEASON:

Chicago Model City Exhibition ExtendedThis popular exhibition will remain open through April. It is free and makes a great destination in downtown Chicago for the holidays and winter break.

New: Chicago Model City Audio Tour and “Ask Me” DocentsA new audio tour gives visitors insight into the planning of Chicago and a behind-the-scenes view of the exhibition. The audio tour also features stories from the people who have experienced or studied the key issues presented in Chicago Model City. Designated “Ask Me” docents will be on hand at exhibitions to answer visitor questions.

EXHIBITIONS:

ALL FREE AND OPEN DAILY TO THE PUBLIC224 S. Michigan Avenue312 922 3432

Chicago Model CityDrawing tourists and locals alike, the Chicago Model City exhibition consists of a large, highly detailed scale model of Chicago, photographs, maps, videos, and computer animations. The scale of the model is 1 inch to 50 feet, making the Sears Tower nearly three feet tall!

Chicago Model City Gallery TalksFridays and Saturdays at 12:30pmTwenty-minute gallery talks introduce visitors to the ideas and themes behind the new exhibition, Chicago Model City.

B Like BurnhamThis exhibition helps CAF visitors; especially families with children understand the man, the Plan, and the legacy of Daniel H. Burnham.

Chicago: You Are Here– An engaging permanent exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Foundation provides images, models, artifacts and video presentations, encouraging visitors to explore the architecture, infrastructure and environment of Chicago.

TOURS:CAF offers a variety of 80+ river, walking and bus tours. Find a full schedule and ticket prices at www.architecture.org.

Chicago Architecture Foundation River CruiseIt’s not too late to go on CAF’s world-famous Official Architecture River Cruises aboard the heated cabin of the Chicago’s First Lady. Tours depart every day throughout the day through November 22.See www.architecture.org for full schedule.

BUS TOURS:

Highlights by BusFridays and Saturdays at 9:30amThis three and a half hour bus tour highlights Chicago’s wide range of architectural influence and design, exploring architectural landmarks such as the Mies van der Rohe’s IIT campus, the Rookery in downtown Chicago, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. The tour covers over 30 miles of the city including: Barack Obama’s neighborhood, the Loop, Hyde Park, the Gold Coast, and historic neighborhoods and campuses.

Devil in the White City Bus TourNov 3, 8, 12, 22 and Dec 1, 6, 17 at 10am.This compelling bus tour and slide presentation is based upon Erik Larson’s bestselling novel that chronicles the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and the emergence of America’s first mass murderer.

DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS:

Palmer HouseSaturday, Nov 7 and Dec 5 at 10:30am. This new 45-minute walking tour goes behind the scenes of this remarkable Chicago landmark. One of the oldest continuously-operated hotels in the world, the restoration of this historic treasure is an inspiring tale of perseverance, talent, and vision.*Tour meets in the WABASH AVENUE lobby (between Monroe and Adams)

Modern Wing Tours – Art Institute of ChicagoNov 14 and 18, Dec 12 and 16, Jan 9 and 20 at 12pm. Docents examine the context for the Renzo Piano-designed addition and its incorporation into the campus’s overall design.

Preserving Chicago LandmarksNov 28 and Dec 26 at 12:30 pm. This tour explores why choices to preserve are made and how those decisions shape the future of Chicago.

Historic Downtown (South Loop): Rise of the SkyscraperDaily at 10am

Chicago Old and New: IntersectionsMondays and Wednesdays at 11am through the end of November. Focusing on five intersections in the Loop, this tour looks at the architectural elements that create Chicago’s unique urban fabric.

Magnificent MileNov 7 and 10, Dec 8 and 19 at 10am. Docents explain the area’s transformation from an industrial, vice ridden district to the grand shopping mecca that we know today while exploring the area’s eclectic mix of architecture design.

Modern SkyscrapersDaily at 1pm. This tour examines many of the buildings that helped place Chicago on the forefront of the modern architectural movement, from Mies van der Rohe’s Federal Center to the Art Institute’s new Modern Wing.

Downtown DecoNovember-March Thursday, Saturday at 11amExplore some of Chicago’s famous art deco interiors and exterior spaces.

Tiffany Treasures in ChicagoWednesdays at 3pm. This tour looks at the magnificent work of the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company in four late-19th century buildings: the Art Institute of Chicago, the Marquette Building, the Chicago Cultural Center, and Macy’s on State Street.

Willis Tower and 311 S. Wacker DriveFirst Tuesday of the Month at 12:15pm

LECTURES, EVENTS, and PUBLIC PROGRAMS:

Free and located at the Chicago Architecture Foundation unless otherwise noted on the website. For more details on events and programs, see below or visit www.architecture.org

November 3 5:30pm / Tour Aqua Tower

November 412:15pm /Lunchtime LecturePark Monroe

November 5 5:30pm / Symposium A Conversation with the Critics: Imagining the Future of the CityParticipating critics: Jonathan Glancey (The Guardian), Paul Goldberger (The New Yorker), Sarah Williams Goldhagen (The New Republic), and Blair Kamin (Chicago Tribune).

November 1012:15pm / Lunchtime LectureChicago and the Cure to the Cul-de-Sac Syndrome